


A Tragic Musketeer

by MozartKing



Category: The Man in the Iron Mask (1998)
Genre: Depression, Implied/Referenced Sex, Language, Self-Harm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-08
Updated: 2019-08-08
Packaged: 2020-08-11 17:58:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,101
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20157730
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MozartKing/pseuds/MozartKing
Summary: Athos is a man who was happy once, but after what happend to his son and wife, he was never happy again. Can his friends and close family help him with the pain?





	A Tragic Musketeer

You are a tortured man, why can it never end?  
End it, END IT, fucking END IT!

Athos woke in a blaze, he woke up holding his head in his hands trying to steady the thumping that was going through him.

He looked in the barn house, and saw empty bottles, “Athos! Athos my friend!” said Porthos marching in, “can you please, not do that while I am pulling my head out of a river?” Athos rubbed his eyes, “it is not my fault you are drinking yourself to death,” Athos got up looking at Porthos “I am not sulking, says the one who drinks and tries to hang himself after having joyous nights with young women,” Porthos looked. Porthos knew his friend for years, he knew how much pain had gone into him. How much it pained to see his once young friend, who loves his family, now is going to drink himself or kill himself to do it quicker.

“What is it you want Porthos, I have no woman in here for you to prance onto, like some blinded saddle” said a tired Athos, “is that all you think of me, a lustful man?” Athos cocked his brow, “d’Artagnan wants us for some meeting or whatever shit” Porthos threw Athos’ jacket.

They got to the palace, “will Aramis be coming to this meeting that d’Artagnan has planned?” asked Athos, “ what I’ve heard yes, but us knowing the bastard, he’s probably gone off to a new adventure.”  
They walked in, and saw d’Artagnan standing in front of Philippe who smiled when he saw his father figure, “Athos, Porthos, so good for you to come” said the queen, “my lady” said Athos kissing her palm “my lovely queen, lovely to see you,” said Porthos kissing her palm several times, “my son, my husband, I will go to my chambers now” said the queen. Aramis was standing in the corner, “why have we come at this time, my king?” asked Porthos, “sorry how I am acting, since I became king, I must be loyal to the throne, like you taught me Athos” Athos smiled and nodded, “yes, it may seem you have grown in the last few months that we have seen you dear Philippe” said Athos.

d’Artagnan saw Athos’ wrist, it was bandaged. He saw how tired Athos was, Athos covered his hand “it seems, I have to ride a horse, and meet some of the other royals from countries,” said a shy toned Philippe, “what is it Philippe?” asked Athos, d’Artagnan looked at how nervous his son was, “UM, I may need a few lessons on how to ride a horse.”

Aramis, Athos, and Porthos looked, “it would be an honor my king to help you ride” said Porthos pushing Athos out of the way, “yes, but you Porths is neither good at riding a horse, nor is good putting your foot in the saddle without having a woman push you upright” said Aramis, holding back a laugh “if it’s alright, if Athos could teach Pilippe how to ride?” Athos stared at d’Artagnan, then Philippe, “it would be an honor, your majesty.”

At the farm, Athos was helping Philippe get on the horse, “can an old friend sit down?” said Aramis, “it seems Athos is quite the teacher on helping Philippe conduct a horse” said Aramis, “yes, he has gotten the hang of it” Aramis studied his friend “what is on your mind old friend?” asked Aramis, “did you see the wrapping Athos had around his wrist?” “yes, I’m afraid I might know what it means,” said Aramis, “I as well, I remember a time we would see Athos teach his son, how he used to smile when his son would run, or run to him when Raoul would fall flat on his face,” said a said d’Artagnan “Athos is strong, but not as strong when he wants to end his life such as this,” said Aramis, “speaking of life ending, where is Porthos?” “where else, the barn with those farm girls, who he calls his wives.”

Sir, I am sorry, but your son Raoul has gone to death  
End it, END IT, fucking END IT!

Athos would wake to the same ending, he knew it wasn’t right, but he wanted to listen.  
He got from his bed, he went to the patch of grass from the barn house. He walked, and pulled out a small knife “my lord, can you please accept this?” he started to cut lines on his thigh and collar bone.

Aramis was writing letters, “HA HA, oh my friend, I have found love, and love I may say is the best love I have found!” said a cheerful Porthos, “please Porthos, I do not want to hear the details you had in the hay this very night” said Aramis  
“My friend, you must get out and find a lady, a fine plumped woman that will suit your arse” he kept drinking and stopped at the window, “did you see Athos, he didn’t come and eat tonight,” said Aramis writing, “yes, it may seem our Athos has gone in the grass” Aramis looked up, and gave the ‘shit’ look.

Athos finished cutting, he looked at his hands with the bleeding knife, “my son is gone, my wife, now you can take me and hang me like a fucking animal, IS THIS WHAT YOU WANT!” he took the robe off, and showed his body to the moon, “I guess not, my lord!” said a crying Athos, “Athos!” Athos put on the robe, looking “Aramis, Porthos? What brings you in this night?” they saw the knife, “what are we, we thought you had,” Aramis nudged Porthos, “we were worried about you, Athos.”  
Athos walked past Aramis and Porthos, “I finally see it, I thought I was blind, and they say I am too fast to say a fucking word” said Porthos, staring “we keep an eye on him, if he tries this act again, we will have to take his knife and sword” said Aramis.

The time the party arrived, d’Artagnan saw his son dressed, “what is troubling you, my son?” asked d'Artagnan, seeing his son, “I do not know if I’m truly ready to be the king you want, I may fall, folks will laugh and I will be a joke of the Musketeers.” d’Artagnan put a hand on his son’s cheek, “you are no failure to me, my son. I may have not been there for your brother, but I am here now, you will never have the people of France laugh at you, never” he hugged him deeply making Philippe cry, “my king?” said the mistress, “they are ready” Philippe looked at his father, who smiled “go, my son.”

Philippe walked down the corridor, “my son” said his mother, “make them proud,” he smiled, “Athos, Aramis, Porthos, I want to say thank you for helping me with my tasks” said Philippe, he hugged Athos making the man smile “your people are waiting for you Philippe” said Athos patting his back. He walked fast slowing his breathing, “my friend Athos, are you alright?” questioned Aramis, he felt like he was about to pass out, “yes, we must go now, or we may miss Philippe” he left with the others looking, “now shall we be worried?” said Porthos.

Musketeers guarded the gates with royals and folks entering the yard.

“friends and all from around, we welcome our young king Philippe son of King Louis and son of Anne!” everyone bowed, with women winking, the Musketeers put up there swords when Philippe strode  
“He is doing quite well, is he not?” said d’Artagnan smiling, “well, just who you might be, if I may my good friends, I must tend this girl to lou” said Porthos, “Porthos, you will stay for Philippe, there are plenty of young women here for you to entertain” said Aramis.  
Athos looked pale, he felt dizzy, “are you alright Athos?” asked Aramis catching him, “yes, excuse me” Athos left, “should we follow?” asked Porthos “no, we wait till it is time.”

Athos got inside, he shut the bathroom door and went to the sink.

He looked in the mirror, “LEAVE ME!” he held his ears and took his shirt off to the bandage that wrapped around his torso. He saw the skin started to bleed again, he saw veins forming around his wrists that were getting infected, “do you want me to end like a virus, let that happen.”  
He got the knife and started to dig in his skin, making himself bite his lip from not screaming.

d'Artagnan started to get worried, he went inside running into Lieutenant Andre “captain, my apologies” he looked at the young Musketeer, “that is alright, may I ask if you have seen captain Athos?” asked d’Artagnan, “yes, it seems he ran into the secret passageway” he pointed.

He saw a light, “Athos? open the door” he tried to nudge it “I am fine, alright, do not waste missing your son’s appearance!” he looked at the smashed mirror with shards in his hands, “Athos, we are worried about you, can I PLEASE see my good friend?”  
Athos didn’t answer,  
“Captain, is everything alright?” asked Andre, “do you have keys?” he walked out. Minutes later, the Lieutenant opened the door, d’Artagnan looked in and saw Athos on the floor with broken shards around him in his hands and legs “Athos?” he kneeled down, he saw the cuts, “captain, is he?” asked a worried Andre, “no, get the others and do not cause a scene” d'Artagnan looked at his friend, he saw he was crying, “let my life end, d'Artagnan, let myself bleed on the carpet” d’Artagnan shook his head, “I have nothing, can’t you see, my son, my wife everyone I loved is dead because of me!” d’Artagnan pulled him close, “no, they are not gone, they are with you” Athos let go and laughed, “says the person who still has a wife and sons, who lives!” Athos smashed his hand on the glass, “I shall never have a more beautiful wife, and a son to run, and hold when he is afraid of the goddamn dark, a wife I had loved and kissed her hair that smelled of a blossom!” d’Artagnan looked, how much he missed him smiling and goofing off with him, how much younger he was compared to Athos.

He helped him out of the bathroom, “captain, I have them!” said the lieutenant, “thank you,” said d’Artagnan, “shall I help?” asked Andre “no, that will be all,” he helped him down the stairs, “Athos!” yelled Philippe who went to him, “I was worried you had run off, who has done this to you, and I will speak to them!” said Philippe, “I have done this to myself, dear Philippe, I have caused myself pain” they heard the others, “I wish to stop the pain” he looked at a crying Philippe, and worried friends, “we will help your wounds, my friend” said Aramis, “yes, and get you outta those clothes and into a bath, you smell like an old pig” said Porthos.

They got to the farm, and the ladies helped him, “there will be scars, but they will be covered by the clothing,” said one of the girls' “now, can you help me with a wound, it is somewhere down here” said Porthos who let the girl out first, “if you excuse me my friends, I have some weed cutting to do” Porthos left.

End it, END IT, fucking END IT!

Athos woke up, rubbing his head. He looked in the farm house, he saw Philippe sleeping in a chair, “you should be resting in the palace” Philippe jumped, and hugged Athos “why go to the palace, when my friend is injured” Athos looked, “you remind me of my son, when he had a nightmare, and myself having to hold him” Philippe looked, “I am truly sorry I never had a chance to see or talk to Raoul” he smiled, “he was a good son, his mother would have been proud of his bravery”

“What happened to your wife, Athos?” he looked, “she was a good woman, a lovely jewel, we were young and had gotten married, she had passed giving life to Raoul” Philippe looked, “I am sorry for your loss” he nodded, “yes, but I will see them in another life.”  
The others came in the room, they saw Philippe resting his head on Athos’ shoulder, “I am sorry, my friends” said Athos, “One for all” said Athos, “All for one” said all three.


End file.
